BayREN Business Program
What is the BayREN Business Program?
BayREN Business is intended to serve small, hard-to-reach (HTR) businesses that have been underserved by past energy efficiency programs. The measured savings approach is simple – aggregators earn incentives when customers save energy!
An aggregator is a participating vendor, contractor or program partner who works with customers to generate energy efficiency and/or demand savings projects. Aggregators manage interactions and relationships with the customer from project identification through customer project implementation. Energy savings are paid and measured through population level normalized metered energy consumption (Pop-NMEC).
Serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties.
Aggregators
If you are ready to become an enrolled aggregator, complete and submit the Participating Aggregator Agreement. If you were previously enrolled as an aggregator for the BayREN Business FLEXmarket program prior to 2025 you will need to re-enroll. Contact us with any questions at BayRENBusiness@aesc-inc.com.
If you are already enrolled as a BayREN Business aggregator, access the Enrolled Aggregator Portal below for Program tools and resources including the Praxis M&V Platform, the Customer Site Eligibility Tool (CSET), and project Value Estimator Tool (VET).
Customers
Are you a small, Bay Area business looking to invest in energy-efficient equipment and save money on your energy bills? Review the eligibility requirements below and contact an Enrolled Aggregator to start the process now! Aggregators can confirm Program eligibility and support you through the process step-by-step.
For general questions email BayRENBusiness@aesc-inc.com
Customer Eligibility
BayREN Business is intended to serve small, hard-to-reach (HTR) businesses that have been underserved by past energy efficiency programs. The following information is a guideline; the BayREN Business Team has final authority to determine customer and project eligibility.
Hard-to-Reach (HTR) Requirement: All projects are required to be HTR to qualify for BayREN Business. HTR status is determined by a collective score of at least 3 points from the table below. HTR-eligibility will be participant-certified for language, number of employees, facility, and location in a Disadvantaged Community (DAC). HTR criteria are:
- (1 point) Language: Primary language spoken is other than English
- (1 point) Business Size: Less than or equal to 25 employees and/or classified as Very Small (customers whose annual electric demand is less than 20 kilowatt (kW), or whose annual gas consumption is less than 10,000 therms or both)
- (2 points) Facility: Leased or Rented Facilities–Investments in improvements to a facility rented or leased by a participating business customer
- (2 points) Geography: Business is located in a DAC (DAC map) or located in Sonoma County
- (3 points) Located on CA Native American Tribe Territory and/or owned or operated by CA Native American Tribe member
Utility: Customers must receive electric distribution and/or natural gas services from PG&E.
Location: Projects must be located within one of the Bay Area Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma.
Project Type: Only commercial businesses allowed. Customer sites must be non-residential, non-government buildings, facilities, sites, places, and spaces occupied by organizations and entities whose purposes are to engage in professional and commercial activities. The Program does not accept home offices, agricultural, aviation, industrial, mining, sanitation, parking-only (lots and garages), and storage facilities, or multifamily common areas.
No Solar On-site: Buildings with solar are not allowed to participate. Projects or upgrades already underway are not eligible for incentives.
BayREN Influence: Project may not be currently enrolled in another ratepayer funded energy efficiency program.